People in the developed and developing world are increasingly gaining access to the internet. In 2015, the International Telecommunication Union estimated that about 3 billion people, half the population then, would have access to the internet.

As of June 2018, the Internet World Stats estimated that 4.2 billion people had access to the internet. When earmarked against the figure in the year 2000, the 2018 figures posted a 1,066 percent growth. As such, rapid improvement has led to great innovations in technology.

The technological revolution is witnessed across all fields especially in the tech world. However, healthcare is not left behind. Major improvements are steadily witnessed in the sector as one could witness from sites like BetterHelp and Bitrebels.

People now have access to more information both in health and other fields.

How The Internet Shapes Telehealth/Telemedicine?

With the growing trends of people with access to the internet, services and products are rapidly shifting to online platforms to get better access to consumers. Telehealth and telemedicine are sometimes used interchangeably but have different meanings.

Telehealth

Telehealth refers to patient education resources as regards to health. Telehealth can be found through different platforms with access to the internet. They include websites, mobile phones, and tablet applications.

Telehealth may also refer to specialists sharing digital images of diagnostics which include CT scans, x-rays, or pictures of skin lesions.

Telemedicine

Telemedicine is basically a remote treatment option offered by primary health care providers and specialists. It involves more interactive sessions between the patient and the specialist. Such sessions include video chats between patient and specialist rather than having to visit the facility for a face to face.

BetterHelp Platform

Betterhelp is an online platform for mental health care. It is a pure example of how telehealth and telemedicine have revolutionized because of access to the internet. The platform helps patients with difficulties in mental health get access to information.

The information can help the patient self-diagnose and get treatment for their depression, stress or anxiety.

With more serious cases in mental health, Betterhelp still provides a platform for patients to interact with therapists for online advice. The platform categorizes the different sectors that may have caused difficulties in the mental health of a patient thus making it easier to seek answers.

Benefits Of Telehealth And Telemedicine

Consumers find telehealth and telemedicine valuable to use at home despite some concerns expressed by specialists who advocate for face-to-face health interaction. Otherwise, here are some benefits of telehealth:

Portability

Having access to information and services online means that you could access it anywhere and anytime needed. With your simple health app, you could monitor and have access to vital health information.

Social Networking

Staying committed to health and wellness can be a difficult task. Creating a forum where telehealthusers can interact and share with one another improves commitment to health. This is most apparent with apps.

Access By Specialists

A specialist’s main objective is to help people and with online platforms, they can help patients from all over the world no matter their location.

Conclusion

Telemedicine and telehealth are more effective in the provision of services when compared to physical visits to a physical facility. Cost issues like consultation fees are eliminated thus making it cheaper for you to access services.